Slipcover with separate cushion cover

ABSTRACT

A slipcover assembly has a slipcover with a back, seat, arm and lower portions for covering the various surfaces of a piece of seating furniture, as well as a separate cushion cover for covering one or more cushions of the furniture and for tightly engaging the cushions for a neat appearance. The cushion cover has an opening with an elastic member extending along the opening perimeter for elastically pulling the opening to its smallest possible size when all the cushion are inside the cushion cover, and at least one non-elastic band is connected to opposite sides of the opening for spanning the opening and for resisting expansion of the opening.

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates in general to fabric slipcovers for covering furniture having at least one separable cushion, and in particular, to a new and useful slipcover with separate cushion cover.

It is know to cover various pieces of seating furniture such as sofas, love seats and chairs, with fabric slipcovers. Such slipcovers may be custom cut and fitted, semi-fitted or non-fitted. Examples include the current inventor's U.S. Pat. No. 6,796,609 (Slipcover with T-cushion feature); U.S. Pat. No. D479,427 (Slipcover for seating furniture); U.S. Pat. No. 6,485,099 (Reversible slipcover); U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,301 (Reversible slipcover); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,355 (Fitted furniture cover).

In the usual case, slipcovers have been designed as a single large fabric member that goes over the cushions as well as the back and any arms of the furniture. In some cases a separate skirt is provided to cover the legs of the furniture.

Published U.S. Patent Application 2006/0071520 to Miller discloses a semi-custom fit slipcover for a piece of furniture including a base, a back, first and second arms and a seat portion. The slipcover covers these parts of the furniture but a separate cushion cover can be provided for the seating cushion or cushions of the furniture. The assignee of this application, Sure Fit Inc. of Allentown, Pa., offers such a slipcover combination that includes a slipcover and a separate zippered cushion cover that completely envelopes the cushion or cushions. No measures are taken to address extra loose fabric that would be left over if the cushions do not completely fill the cushion cover.

A need remains for an improved slipcover assembly that neatly covers the furniture and its cushions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a semi-fitted or fully fitted furniture slipcover for covering a piece of seating furniture having a body with lower side surfaces, a back extending upwardly from the body, two, one or no arms extending upwardly of the body, and a seating cushion surface over the body that is bounded by the back and any arms that are present, with at least one separately covered cushion on the seating cushion surface that includes a mechanism for tightly engaging the cushion cover to the cushion or cushions that it covers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a slipcover assembly for covering a piece of furniture having a body with lower side surfaces and an upper seating cushion surface, a back extending upwardly from the body, and at least one cushion on the seating cushion surface, the slipcover assembly comprising a one-piece slipcover having a back portion for covering a rear, a top and a front surface of the furniture back, a seat portion connected to the back portion for covering the seating cushion surface of the furniture, and a lower portion connected to the seat portion for covering the lower side surfaces of the furniture body, and a one-piece cushion cover for covering the at least one cushion of the furniture, the cushion cover having a top portion for completely covering a top surface of the at least one cushion, side portions connected to the top portion for completely covering sides of the at least one cushion, and a bottom portion for only partly covering a bottom surface of the at least one cushion, the bottom portion having a cushion receiving opening with a perimeter, an elastic member extending along the perimeter for elastically pulling the opening to its smallest possible size when the at least one cushion is inside the cushion cover, and at least one non-elastic band connected to the bottom portion on opposite sides of the opening for spanning the opening and for resisting expansion of the opening.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a slipcover assembly for covering a piece of furniture having a body with lower side surfaces and an upper seating cushion surface, a back extending upwardly from the body, and at least one cushion on the seating cushion surface, the slipcover assembly comprising a one-piece slipcover having a back portion for covering a rear, a top and a front surface of the furniture back, a seat portion connected to the back portion for covering the seating cushion surface of the furniture, and a lower portion connected to the seat portion for covering the lower side surfaces of the furniture body, and a one-piece cushion cover for covering the at least one cushion of the furniture, the cushion cover having a top portion for completely covering a top surface of the at least one cushion, side portions connected to the top portion for completely covering sides of the at least one cushion, and a bottom portion for only partly covering a bottom surface of the at least one cushion, the bottom portion having a cushion receiving opening with a perimeter, a tunnel around the opening perimeter of the cushion cover, and a non-elastic tightening cord in the tunnel for non-elastically pulling the opening to its smallest possible size when the at least one cushion is inside the cushion cover.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the slipcover assembly of the present invention, fitted onto a sofa having three seating cushions;

FIG. 2 is perspective view of a one-piece slipcover of the assembly during an early step of installation to a sofa of the type illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the installation of a skirt of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a partial rear, side perspective view of the sofa, showing an early step during the attachment of the skirt;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, of a later step during the attachment of the skirt;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4, of a final step during the attachment of the skirt;

FIG. 7 is a partial front perspective view of a step during the installation of a cushion cover according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a further step during the installation of the cushion cover according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a final step during the installation of the cushion cover according to the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a front top perspective view of a sofa with the slipcover assembly of the present invention installed; and

FIG. 11 is a view similar to that of FIG. 8 but illustrating another embodiment of the cushion cover of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numerals are used to refer to the same or similar elements, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a fitted furniture slipcover assembly having a one-piece slipcover 10 for covering a piece of seating furniture 120 having a body 122 with lower front, right, left and rear side surfaces, a back 126 extending upwardly from the body, at least one arm 128 extending upwardly of the body, and a seating cushion surface 130 on the body for receiving one, two, three or more cushions, such as three cushions 124 shown in FIG. 1, or two cushions 124 as in FIG. 11.

The furniture to be covered by the slipcover assembly of the invention may have no arms or may have a second arm as in the example shown, or may even have only one arm (e.g. a Cleopatra sofa). The furniture may be a side chair, an arm chair, a club chair, a love seat, a sofa or any other type of seating furniture.

The term “one-piece” throughout this disclosure is used to mean a fabric member that is formed of one or more pieces of fabric, e.g. by sewing or fusing or an other means, but which is a single unit of the assembly to be installed as a discrete part of the assembly.

The one-piece, e.g. stitched together fabric slipcover 10, comprises a back portion 26 having parts for covering a rear surface of the furniture back, a top surface of the back, a front surface of the furniture back and sides surfaces thereof as well. The slipcover includes a seat portion 30 connected to the back portion 26 for covering the seating cushion surface 130.

An arm portion 28 is connected to the back 26 and seat 30 portions with a part for covering the inner surface, a part for the outer surface, a part for the top and a part for the front surfaces of each arm 128.

A lower portion 22 of the slipcover 10 is connected to the seat and arm portions 30, 28, with parts for covering each side surface of the furniture body 122.

During an early step of installation for the slipcover assembly of the invention as shown in FIG. 2, the cushions are removed and the slipcover 10 is unpacked and spread over the furniture 120. The lower portion 22 of the slipcover includes a kick pleat 24 that is placed at a front central location of the lower surface of the body of the furniture. This acts like a landmark for placement of the other portions of the slipcover, i.e. spreading of the seat portion 30 over the seating cushion surface 130 of the sofa, draping of the arm portions 28 over the arms 128, draping of the back portion 26 over the back 126 of the sofa and dropping of the lower portion 22 over all sides of the sofa body 122.

In a further step that is not shown, extra material that has been provided around the seat portion 30 to accommodate seating furniture of different sizes, is tucked into the known crevices between the seating cushion surface 130 of the sofa and the arms and back of the sofa, to smooth the slipcover out and give it a tailored and neat look.

FIG. 3 illustrates another step of the invention for installing a one-piece skirt 40 of the assembly. This step can take place next or at any other time during the overall process.

The separate one-piece skirt 40 is engaged around the lower side surfaces of the furniture body 122. The skirt has opposite ends 42 and 44 and at least one fastener at the opposite ends for fastening the opposite ends to each other. As best shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the fastener comprises at least one, but preferably two parallel first non-elastic bands 46 connected to one end 42 of the skirt 40, a corresponding one or more second non-elastic bands 48 connected to the opposite end 44 of the skirt 40, and a pair of D-rings 50 connected to each first band 46 for connecting each first band to each respective second band.

Connecting of the bands 46, 48 begins according the FIG. 4, by sliding each band 48 into both D-rings 50 of each corresponding band 46 in the direction of the arrows. As shown in FIG. 5, the loose ends of bands 48 are then brought back in the opposite direction and passed through only one of the D-rings. The loose end of band 48 is then pulled tight as shown in FIG. 6 to lock the band on its respective D-ring bucket. The same steps are repeated for the other set of bands 46, 48.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8, a one-piece cushion cover 60 for covering the cushion or cushions of the furniture is laid upside down and the cushion or cushions are inserted one by one. FIG. 7 illustrates the last cushion being inserted but the process to be explained here is understood to have been repeated for installing the previous cushions.

The cushion cover is like a bag and has a top portion 62 (see FIG. 10) for completely covering a top surface of each cushion, side portions 64 connected to the top portion for completely covering sides of the cushions, and a bottom portion 66 for only partly covering a bottom surface of each cushion. The bottom portion 66 has a cushion receiving opening 68 with a perimeter. An elastic member extends along the perimeter, e.g. in a tunnel sewn or otherwise formed along the perimeter, for elastically pulling the opening 68 to its smallest possible size when the cushions are resting inside the cushion cover. At least one non-elastic band 70 is connected to the bottom portion 66 on opposite sides of the opening 68 for spanning the opening and for resisting expansion of the opening.

This band is advantageously adjustable in length so that it can be shortened to pull the opposite edged of the opening together to closely embrace the cushions 124 in a non-elastic manner. This has been found to be preferable to simply relying on the elastic perimeter member which allows the cushion cover to come away from the cushions and eventually cause a disheveled look. This combination of elastic perimeter and non-elastic bands also has the advantage over a zipper-closed cushion bag since it can accommodate a wide variation of cushion sizes.

A preferred form of the band 70 comprises a first band 72 connected to the bottom portion on one side of the opening, a second band 74 connected to the bottom portion on the opposite side of the opening, and a buckle 76 connected to at least one of the first and second bands for connected the first and second bands to each other.

The buckle 76 can be of any suitable type but the preferred buckle is a pair of D-rings connected to the first band 72 for connecting the first band to the second band in the same way as illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. This buckling operation for one of the cushion cover bands 70 is illustrated in FIG. 8.

FIG. 9 illustrated the step on replacing the now covered cushions onto the seating cushion surface 30, while FIG. 10 illustrates the completed covered furniture.

FIG. 11 illustrates another embodiment of the invention where only the mechanism for non-elastically closing the bottom cushion receiving opening 68 of the cushion cover 60 has been changed. In FIG. 11, the a one-piece cushion cover 60 for covering the cushions of the furniture has a bottom portion with the cushion receiving opening 68 with a perimeter, a tunnel around the opening perimeter of the cushion cover, and a non-elastic tightening cord 80 in the tunnel for non-elastically pulling the opening to its smallest possible size when the cushions are inside the cushion cover. The cord is long enough so that its ends extend out of the tunnel at a common opening in the tunnel. At that point the cord ends are pulled to close the opening as far as possible and a buckle, locking nut or some other locking device of known design is used to lock the cord ends together. In an alternate simpler fashion, the ends of cord 80 are simply tied to each other to keep the opening 68 at its smallest size. Since each cushion 124 does not have its own non-elastic tightening mechanism, however, this embodiment is best for seating have only one cushion.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles. 

1. A slipcover assembly for covering a piece of furniture having a body with lower side surfaces and an upper seating cushion surface, a back extending upwardly from the body, and at least one cushion on the seating cushion surface, the slipcover assembly comprising: a one-piece slipcover having a back portion for covering a rear, a top and a front surface of the furniture back, a seat portion connected to the back portion for covering the seating cushion surface of the furniture, and a lower portion connected to the seat portion for covering the lower side surfaces of the furniture body; and a one-piece cushion cover for covering the at-least one cushion of the furniture, the cushion cover having a top portion for completely covering a top surface of the at least one cushion, side portions connected to the top portion for completely covering sides of the at least one cushion, and a bottom portion for only partly covering a bottom surface of the at least one cushion, the bottom portion having a cushion receiving opening with a perimeter, an elastic member extending along the perimeter for elastically pulling the opening to its smallest possible size when the at least one cushion is inside the cushion cover, and at least one non-elastic band connected to the bottom portion on opposite sides of the opening for spanning the opening and for resisting expansion of the opening.
 2. The slipcover assembly of claim 1, including a separate one-piece skirt for engaging around the lower side surfaces of the furniture body, the skirt having opposite ends and at least one fastener at the opposite ends for fastening the opposite ends to each other.
 3. The slipcover assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one non-elastic band comprises a first band connected to the bottom portion on one side of the opening, a second band connected to the bottom portion on the opposite side of the opening, and a buckle connected to at least one of the first and second bands for connected the first and second bands to each other.
 4. The slipcover assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one non-elastic band comprises a first band connected to the bottom portion on one side of the opening, a second band connected to the bottom portion on the opposite side of the opening, and a pair of D-rings connected to the first band for connecting the first band to the second band.
 5. The slipcover of claim 1, including a tunnel around the opening perimeter of the cushion cover, the elastic member being inside the tunnel.
 6. The slipcover assembly of claim 1, wherein the furniture has at least one arm extending upwardly from the body, the slipcover including an arm portion connected to the back and seat portions for covering inner, outer, top and front surfaces of the arm.
 7. The slipcover assembly of claim 1, including a separate one-piece skirt for engaging around the lower side surfaces of the furniture body, the skirt having opposite ends and at least one fastener at the opposite ends for fastening the opposite ends to each other, the fastener comprising at least one first non-elastic band connected to one end of the skirt, at least one second non-elastic band connected to the opposite end of the skirt, and a pair of D-rings connected to the first band for connecting the first band to the second band.
 8. The slipcover assembly of claim 1, wherein the furniture has at least two cushions, the cushion cover being sized to receive the at least two cushions, and at least one non-elastic band for each of the cushions, each for being connected to the bottom portion on opposite sides of the opening for spanning the opening and for resisting expansion of the opening around each cushion.
 9. The slipcover assembly of claim 1, wherein the furniture has at least two cushions, the cushion cover being sized to receive the at least two cushions, and at least one non-elastic band for each of the cushions, each for being connected to the bottom portion on opposite sides of the opening for spanning the opening and for resisting expansion of the opening around each cushion, each non-elastic band comprising a first band connected to the bottom portion on one side of the opening, a second band connected to the bottom portion on the opposite side of the opening, and a pair of D-rings connected to the first band for connecting the first band to the second band.
 10. The slipcover assembly of claim 1, wherein the furniture has at least two cushions, the cushion cover being an elongated rectangular size to receive the at least two cushions, the opening having two long edges and two short edges, and at least one non-elastic band for each of the cushions, each for being connected to the bottom portion on opposite ones of the long edges of the opening for spanning the opening and for resisting expansion of the opening around each cushion.
 11. The slipcover assembly of claim 1, wherein the furniture has at least two cushions, the cushion cover being an elongated rectangular size to receive the at least two cushions, the opening having two long edges and two short edges, and at least one non-elastic band for each of the cushions, each for being connected to the bottom portion on opposite ones of the long edges of the opening for spanning the opening and for resisting expansion of the opening around each cushion, each non-elastic band comprising a first band connected to the bottom portion on one of the long edges of the opening, a second band connected to the bottom portion on the opposite long edge of the opening, and a pair of D-rings connected to the first band for connecting the first band to the second band.
 12. The slipcover assembly of claim 1, wherein the lower portion of the slipcover includes a kick pleat for placement at a front central location of the lower side surfaces of the body of the furniture.
 13. The slipcover assembly of claim 1, wherein the furniture has at least two cushions, the cushion cover being sized to receive the at least two cushions, and at least one non-elastic band for each of the cushions, each for being connected to the bottom portion on opposite sides of the opening for spanning the opening near a center of each respective cushion, and for resisting expansion of the opening around each cushion.
 14. A slipcover assembly for covering a piece of furniture having a body with lower side surfaces and an upper seating cushion surface, a back extending upwardly from the body, and at least one cushion on the seating cushion surface, the slipcover assembly comprising: a one-piece slipcover having a back portion for covering a rear, a top and a front surface of the furniture back, a seat portion connected to the back portion for covering the seating cushion surface of the furniture, and a lower portion connected to the seat portion for covering the lower side surfaces of the furniture body; and a one-piece cushion cover for covering the at least one cushion of the furniture, the cushion cover having a top portion for completely covering a top surface of the at least one cushion, side portions connected to the top portion for completely covering sides of the at least one cushion, and a bottom portion for only partly covering a bottom surface of the at least one cushion, the bottom portion having a cushion receiving opening with a perimeter, a tunnel around the opening perimeter of the cushion cover, and a non-elastic tightening cord in the tunnel for non-elastically pulling the opening to its smallest possible size when the at least one cushion is inside the cushion cover.
 15. The slipcover assembly of claim 14, where in the non-elastic tightening cord is long enough for opposite ends of the code to extend out of the tunnel for being pulled toward, and tied to each other.
 16. The slipcover assembly of claim 14, wherein the non-elastic tightening cord is long enough for opposite ends of the code to extend out of the tunnel, and a locking nut engaged to each of the opposite ends of the cord for allowing the ends of the cord to be pulled and locked to each other.
 17. The slipcover assembly of claim 14, including a separate one-piece skirt for engaging around the lower side surfaces of the furniture body, the skirt having opposite ends and at least one fastener at the opposite ends for fastening the opposite ends to each other.
 18. The slipcover assembly of claim 14, wherein the lower portion of the slipcover includes a kick pleat for placement at a front central location of the lower side surfaces of the body of the furniture.
 19. The slipcover assembly of claim 14, wherein the furniture has at least one arm extending upwardly from the body, the slipcover including an arm portion connected to the back and seat portions for covering inner, outer, top and front surfaces of the arm.
 20. The slipcover assembly of claim 14, including a separate one-piece skirt for engaging around the lower side surfaces of the furniture body, the skirt having opposite ends and at least one fastener at the opposite ends for fastening the opposite ends to each other, the fastener comprising at least one first non-elastic band connected to one end of the skirt, at least one second non-elastic band connected to the opposite end of the skirt, and a pair of D-rings connected to the first band for connecting the first band to the second band. 